Choose language

Protect vulnerable refugees detained on Manus Island

Hundreds of refugees trapped on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are at ongoing risk of violent attacks and abuse.

The refugees were sent there by the Australian government. Australia’s offshore processing system is deliberately abusive and has left hundreds of people trapped on the island for years[AS4] . Everyone arriving by boat to Australia is not allowed to seek asylum in the country but is instead sent to Manus Island (or to the remote [AS5] pacific island of Nauru).

On 7 August 2017, Hamed Shamshiripour, an Iranian refugee, was found dead in a forest near one of these centres. We still don’t know how he died.

Hamed’s death took place while violence on Manus Island is escalating.Recently, refugees have been physically attacked and verbally abused by some local people and members of the police and armed forces. In April 2017, PNG soldiers fired multiple bullets into one of the Manus detention centres.

This comes at a time when the Australian and PNG authorities are trying to close the refugee detention centres on Manus and forcibly move refugees to another location on PNG, the Lorengau transit centre. This move could lead to dangerous overcrowding and would place the refugees closer to local communities, risking an increase in violence.

Help us protect all refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island.

We call on the Australian and Papua New Guinean governments to:

Immediately bring all asylum seekers and refugees to Australia

Ensure that all those granted refugee status have the right to settle in Australia or another country

Stop any actions or policies that put refugees on Manus Island at risk of further harm